


Balance

by loneReyloTrashCan



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Reylo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 03:02:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13538298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loneReyloTrashCan/pseuds/loneReyloTrashCan
Summary: 6 months following the death of Snoke, Rey marches with the remainder of the resistance in a funeral procession on Naboo and reminisces.This follows the events post-The Last Jedi and how I personally think they should unfold. Warning, major character death ahead.





	1. Chapter 1

Nearly six months had passed since the death of Snoke, since Rey had refused Kylo Ren’s offer to rule by his side. She remembered how her hand wavered, how she struggled to resist the pull of the dark. It was seductive, and it offered her power beyond anything she could imagine. This however, wasn’t the reason she was so drawn to it. Rey knew that the dark had failed her once before, in the cave on Ach-To, where she pleaded for answers. It had given her nothing.

            What drew her toward the darkness, toward _him,_ was the fundamental need for connection and comfort. Though they sat on opposing sides of a war they did not start, Rey and Kylo had somehow found this connection in each other. Where there was once hatred, there is now compassion and understanding. Rey thought she knew everything she needed to about Kylo Ren. She was wrong. Where there once existed a mutual desire to destroy each other, there now was a desire be with each other.

Even though the dark mirrored cave hadn’t shown her what she wanted to see, it showed her something she didn’t expect. Two silhouettes who she believed to be her parents merged together, and this one figure approached her. A thin layer of ice separated them, obscuring her view, but she knew who she was seeing. The shadow of Ben Solo waited on the other side, his hand lifted to meet hers. Somehow, he was her destiny.

Through their force bond they had talked over a warm fire, confessing their fears and insecurities. Rey had never felt so alone. And in that moment, when those words escaped him, she knew she didn’t have to be alone.

_You’re not alone._

_Neither are you._ She replied. Slowly lifting her hand and extending it to him, he was taken aback. He nervously removed his glove and raised his hand to hers. Their hands met, and in that instant they had shared a true connection with each other, something absent from both of their lives, something they both so desperately needed.

As Rey reminisced, perhaps to separate herself from the reality she faced, she suddenly remembered where she was. The unforgiving sting of tears pierced her like knives as she moved her hand to touch the casket, gently caressing it as she silently wept. Her body was on autopilot as she marched alongside her friends in the resistance. Finn and Poe, along with four others carried Leia gingerly, their eyes to the ground. The funeral procession was silent, punctuated only by the soft, melancholy strumming of strings in the background. Rain poured steadily on them, but they didn’t hasten their march. Under normal circumstances, Rey would have been floored by the beauty of Naboo and its vast and regal palaces. But today it felt as if she were in hell, or in some parallel world. She felt like she didn’t belong here.

The attack had happened the previous week, what remained of the Resistance had landed on a planet they believed to be free of First Order presence. The first few days had gone smoothly. The Resistance fighters were happy to be able to spread out in a new base after being confined to the Millennium Falcon for so long. Even though things looked bleak, the return of Luke Skywalker had reignited their spark of hope.

That’s when they struck.

It was a quiet night, until the roar of tie fighters filled the air. Before they could even scramble the few fighters they’d collected, the base erupted in plumes of fire. The First Order had been adopting more guerilla warfare tactics since the death of Snoke and the destruction of the Supremacy.  General Organa was outside on the landing strip when it happened. There was nothing they could do. And just like that, they were gone. They still didn’t know what happened. How had they found their new base? Surely someone had been an informant. That didn’t matter now.

Fresh sobs escaped her as they approached the burial grounds. A massive golden gate greeted them at the entrance, and behind it a tall and rounded structure loomed in the distance. This would be her final resting place.

Suddenly, a familiar presence filled the air around Rey. It exhilarated and soothed her at the same time. She felt Ben’s hand entwine with hers, his fingers lovingly stroking hers. She looked up and saw his rough outline appear before her. She knew nobody else could see him. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and it took all her willpower not to wipe it away. Surely that would look suspicious. Instead, she squeezed his hand in understanding and continued walking alongside him, her friends unaware of his presence.

\-----

Their force bond had continued throughout their time apart. They had both come to believe that Snoke was lying when he said he bridged their minds. He was long gone, and their connection persisted. Sometimes it happened involuntarily, other times if they tried, they could open a connection willfully.

The first time it happened was a few weeks after the battle of Crait. Rey’s anger was still fresh, as was Kylo’s sense of rejection. When Rey had refused to rule by his side, it affected him more than he’d let anyone else believe. He spent days at a time unable to sleep, his mind clouded with anger. One night, he threw the covers off himself in a fit of rage and began pacing his quarters, thinking of Rey. He physically winced as he again thought of her refusing him. He roared and sent a chair flying across the room into the door. The chair lay crumpled on the ground, a pathetic heap of twisted metal. The door had only a minor ding, which wasn’t enough for him. He began pounding his fists into the steel door again and again, until his hands grew numb. He was shaking, his breath unsteady as he looked at his mangled hands, and then to the door, which was severely caved in.

A low sound startled him out of his haze and he spun around. To his surprise, Rey was there across the room, wearing her grey robes.

“What are you doing?!” He croaked, his voice cracking despite his attempts to sound menacing.

“Ben, I’m sorry.” She said, her face contorted with sadness. “I’m sorry I left you.”

He closed his eyes, willing the tears to stay inside him where they belonged. After steadying himself, he opened his eyes and moved to approach her. She backed away slightly, causing him to pause his gait. He slumped his shoulders and sighed, turning back to the bed and sitting down. Rey followed hesitantly and sat beside him, close enough for Kylo to feel the warmth emanating from her body. He glanced again at his hands, which were a mess of blood and black leather.

“Why are you doing this to yourself?” She asked. Kylo could her the heartbreak in her voice.

            “You _left._ ” He said through gritted teeth. “ _Everyone_ leaves.”

            Rey gently took his hand in hers, being careful not too hurt him any further. He winced but didn’t stop her as she closed her eyes. He felt a warm energy flowing from her and spilling into him. He began to notice the pain in his hands as the numbness subsided, but as it did, she soothed him. Kylo watched in amazement as not all, but some of the gashes in his hands began to close, stemming the flow of blood that had begun to pool in his gloves. The pain began to shrink away, muffled by a layer of light that she had somehow left in him.

            Rey’s eyes opened, and she exhaled deeply, setting his hands back in his lap and trying to catch her breath.

“I’m sorry, that’s all I can do. I’ve learned some new things but I’m not strong enough to fix it all, not from this far away-“

            “Thank you.” He said, interrupting her. “I see you’ve been consulting the Jedi Texts. Possibly with some help.” He raised his hands to his face and clenched and unclenched his fists. The pain was still present but tolerable, thanks to her.

            “Why did you come back?” He asked.

            “Because I can feel you, Ben.” Her eyes locked with his as she talked.

            “At night, when you can’t sleep, I can feel it. I hate to feel you suffer. For every moment we’ve been apart, I’ve felt your presence nearly every day.” She managed a wan smile.

            “I feel you too.” He admitted. “And I haven’t even tried to. If anything, I’ve tried to close myself off from you. From…. _this_.” He gestured between them, signifying their bond.

            Rey looked at her feet, afraid to meet his gaze, afraid of everything.

            “But it didn’t work.” He finished.

            “I’ve barely slept too…since I left. But I needed time. I think we both did.”

            “Maybe so.” He said reluctantly.

            Rey climbed into the bed behind him and pulled the covers over herself, gesturing for Kylo to join her. He was unsure at first, hesitating to move.

            “It’s okay,” She said lovingly. “I want to be here. I want to help you.”

            Exhaustion was overtaking him, winning in a tug of war against his stubbornness. He climbed into bed with her, edging closer to her. She held out her arm and he laid his head to her chest. Her breasts were soft and welcoming, as was the gentle sound of her heartbeat. Rey wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair, soothing him through their bond as she did so. He reached an arm around her and pulled her closer, his grip tight but not overbearing. She continued running her hands through his hair, and he was asleep in a matter of minutes. His gentle snores lulled her into sleep soon after. When they both awoke, they were alone in their beds, across the stars from each other.

\---------

            Kylo had reached out through their force bond the day after the attack, and Rey was still stricken with anger and grief. She suspected he was behind the attack, because why wouldn’t he be? This would be the nail in the coffin, the final act for him to cement himself into the dark side.

            He appeared before her in her room, but before he could say anything, she was throwing any object she could get her hands on toward him, shrieking with potent rage.

            “HOW COULD YOU?!” She screamed, hurling another item toward him. Though he knew he couldn’t be hit by them, he still dodged them on instinct, and attempted to shout over her.

            “Rey! REY! STOP!” He yelled back, trying to get to her. Rey reached for her belt and ignited her newly constructed lightsaber, made from parts of her old staff and the shattered hilt of the saber that had been destroyed aboard the Supremacy. The blue glow illuminated her face as she approached Kylo, her chest heaving with hatred.

            She moved to strike him, but he grabbed her wrist and immobilized her. Her frustration grew as she tried to move to no avail, her anger giving way to uncontrollable sobs.

            “I HATE YOU!” She snarled in between sobs.

            Kylo flinched at this, but didn’t respond. For a while they faced each other, Rey unable to move and Kylo unable to speak. The silence was deafening, the only thing audible was the hum of her saber. Finally, Kylo spoke.

            “I didn’t do it. I have no proof, but I believe General Hux carried out this attack without my knowledge.” His voice was shaking as he said this, and he looked to Rey, awaiting her reply.

            “Why should I believe you?” She said, her vision blurred by tears.

            “Rey, why would I lie to you? After all this time, after everything…” He paused, attempting to regain control of himself. “She was my mother.”

            “And Han Solo was your father!” She snapped.

            Kylo stepped toward her, a dark cloud seeming to drape itself over his face.

            “Yes, he was. But I regret it, Rey. I regret it every day.”

            She didn’t want to believe him, but as she looked deeper into his eyes, she could see that he was telling the truth. Rey had spent enough time with him through their bond to know he wasn’t lying. Her face softened, and as it did, he released her from his force hold. She deactivated the saber and collapsed into him, holding him impossibly tight against her. They both cried together, Kylo silently and Rey with muffled sobs into his chest.

            “I’m sorry.” She said, her trembling body beginning to steady itself.

            “Don’t be.”

            Rey reached up to wipe away one of his tears, and ran her fingers gingerly along his scar to the base of his neck, something she did quite often. She’d never openly apologized for giving him the scar, and he didn’t need her to. Tracing it with her touch was her way of saying sorry. Kylo understood that he had left her no choice when she gave it to him on Starkiller base. For as volatile as they both could be, there was no denying their softness when it came to each other.

            “We want her funeral to be on Naboo.” Rey said softly.

            Kylo nodded hesitantly, seeming to contemplate this as they continued their embrace.

            “I will make sure it goes smoothly, and safely. The First Order doesn’t have much of a military presence there. I’ll pull out what little we do have.”

            “But won’t that seem suspicious to them? To Hux?” She looked to him, concerned.

            “No. I’ll make sure you’re safe. And that my mother gets a proper burial.”

            He brought his hands to her face and gently stroked her hair, his reassuring gaze easing her worries.

            “Thank you, Ben.”

\---

            Rey recalled all of this as they approached the burial plot, still clutching Kylo’s hand in hers. As speeches were made and more tears shed, they finally lowered her into the ground. Rain continued to pour as they buried the casket. Everyone said their final goodbyes and Rey stood about the plot, looking down at the mound of earth that housed their once great general.

            “Hey, you coming inside Rey?” Finn called to her.

            “In a bit.” She replied simply.

            “Rey-“

            “Leave me be. I need to be alone.”

 

            Finn sighed and turned to join Poe and the rest of the mourners as they ascended the beautiful golden steps into the structure above the cemetery.

            She could still feel Ben’s hand in hers, and the world seemed to swirl around her. She felt more lost now than she’d ever felt. She felt more alone now than she had in the cave of Ach-to, and more helpless than the day her parents left her in the Jakku desert.

            Kylo leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. He squeezed her hand once more and said it again, this time in his head.

            _You know you’re never alone._

            And just like that, he was gone. The hand that had been clutching his now closed all the way, still sensing the specter of his grip like a phantom limb. Loneliness crept into her soul once again as the rain drenched her body, the world seeming to cry for Leia with her.

            As Kylo returned to his own chambers, his clothes were soaking wet from the rain on Naboo. He looked at the floor and watched it drip in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The death of his mother leaves Ben Solo in tatters.

He stared as a puddle formed at his feet, the Naboo rain flowing from his drenched robes freely. He trembled, grief slithering into every void in his body. His mind was an amalgam of horrors, flashing before him with ferocity and mercilessness. Everything he had done swirled through his mind like a cyclone, tearing a hole in his psyche. He saw his father impaled on the glowing red blade of his own saber. Han Solo’s last words had been a promise to help him, to free him of the darkness that smothered his soul.

_Will you help me?_

_Yes, anything._

Kylo’s heart began to race, seeming to beat on the inside of his ribcage, desperate to escape the prison of his body.

            He saw Luke Skywalker looming over him, his lightsaber drawn and ready to strike. His own family had failed him again, and so he turned to the dark. It was all he had.

            The image of Rey ushering resistance fighters onto the Falcon, looking back and catching Kylo’s eyes in hers. The doors of the Falcon closing him off to her, like they had closed him off to his father so many times before. Bitterness unfolded within him, like razorblades creeping under his skin. The pain was too much to bear. His thoughts turned again to his mother, and how he’d never be able to reconcile with her now.

            “ _Young Solo_.”

            A low, ominous voice thundered through his head, making him wince. He quickly surveyed his quarters, but saw no one else in the room. His heart was still throbbing in his chest, sure to burst free at the rate it was going.

            “SHOW YOURSELF!” Kylo screamed, his eyes darting nervously back and forth.

            A red specter formed in front of him, clad in a black cape and armor, his helmet shining even through the red haze that enveloped him. Kylo’s eyes grew wide, he stammered to catch his breath, collapsing backward onto his bed. The figure moved slowly toward him, and Kylo struggled to sit up on the bed to face him.

            “ _Vader.”_ He choked, his throat suddenly too dry to speak any further.

            “ _You are failing me, Ben Solo. The dark side of the force has clawed its way to supremacy, yet you seek to undermine all we have achieved.”_

            Kylo’s body shook as the dark lord snatched his saber from his belt, ignited it and turned it over curiously in his hand.

            ” _Impressive. An ancient design resurrected.”_

            Vader held the shimmering blade dangerously close to Kylo’s neck. He could feel it’s heat beginning to singe the small hairs on his face.

            “How is this possible?” Kylo demanded, his voice audibly shaking. “Darth Vader was redeemed! Anakin Skywalker died a Jedi!”

            “ _You have forgotten your place….on the dark side.”_

The smoldering blade inched closer and closer to his skin. Pain began to bloom within his mind, a white-hot pin prick through his entire being. Suddenly, the crossed hilt was driven into his shoulder, Vader bearing down on him mercilessly. Kylo shrieked, attempting to throw the red figure off him, but his hands passed clean through Vader’s torso. The heat burned through his robes and ate away at his flesh, the smell of his own charred skin floated to his nostrils. His screams continued, and he fell to the floor, clutching his shoulder.

            _“This is why you fail, young Solo. Your weaknesses consume you.”_ Vader tossed Kylo’s saber onto the bed, the hilt still smoldering after being deactivated. “ _Now, rise.”_

            Kylo stared defiantly up to Vader, his teeth gritted together in agony. “No.” He managed.

            He felt his body being lifted, as if he were a marionette on Vader’s strings. He came to rest on his feet, one hand still clutching his shoulder. He was now face to face with the man he romanticized. His grandfather, in all his evil glory. Vader’s empty stare bored into him.

            _“Your grip is slipping. You have allowed your attachments to your father…your mother…and the **girl**_ _to make you weak.”_

            “She is of no concern to you!” he retorted, dark circles forming under his eyes.

            “ _Oh? You think your juvenile feelings take precedence over the will of the dark side? No. You have been foolish.”_ Vader began pacing in front of him, continuing his tirade. “ _You are in danger of subverting all you have accomplished. Your heart is **contaminated** with her light.”_

“SHE IS ALL I HAVE LEFT!” His scream echoed through the room and rang in his ears. Vader stood intently watching him, his heavy breathing becoming louder with each passing second. His rasp flooded Kylo’s mind, every inch of his body seeming to scream in unison. Just as he thought he couldn’t bear it any longer, another voice mercifully interrupted his agony.

            “Sir.”

            Kylo whirled around, a royal guard stood in the doorway to his quarters, looking timid. The red figure was nowhere to be seen, and Kylo had to adjust to this realization before he could respond. There was still a puddle of water in the middle of the room, and the smell of burning skin hung in the air like a storm cloud. He grunted in acknowledgment to the trooper, who carefully resumed his speech.

            “Is everything alright? I heard screaming-“

            “I’M FINE!” Kylo snapped. “Have a medical droid sent to my quarters, leave me.”

            The guard nodded and exited the room, the door sliding shit behind him.

            Kylo stumbled to the bed and collapsed, his body and soul shaken by what he had witnessed. Was any of it real? He looked again to his shoulder, and sure enough, a deep burn mark still smoldered there. But how was this possible? Was he going completely mad? Surely there was a logical explanation for this.

            He wriggled out of his still drenched clothes and laid there naked, his mind felt as though it were melting into him, it’s contents spilling into the rest of his body, poisoning him from the inside out. This feeling of rot followed him into the night, only subsiding when his mind briefly thought of Rey. Her delicate features and reassuring gaze, just the idea of her, finally lulled him to sleep.

            But that night, sleep was cruel to him. When it finally came, he dreamed he was at the top of a black spire, looking down on a world of molten lava. Even at the great apex of this large tower, he could feel the boiling heat rising from below. He felt powerful, fearless, finally in control of his destiny. Then he sensed a figure appear behind him. As he turned and faced the phantom, it’s body began to form, shadows tracing out a human outline. As the figure became clearer, it’s form became more feminine, striding toward him defiantly. The only thing left unformed was her head, which was still a mess of shadows.

            The dark figure was encroaching upon him, getting closer and closer. Fear began to surge through him, and he reached for the saber in his belt, only to find it wasn’t there. He grabbed nervously at himself, desperate to find it. The figure finally reached him, and his heart skipped. The black cloud where her head should be finally faded, and he saw the face of Rey.

            Her face was warped with fury as she ignited her lightsaber and raised it high, bringing it down to strike. He felt the singe of the blade as it hit his torso, sending him careening backward toward the ledge. He teetered haphazardly over the top of the tower, and he could feel her getting ready to attack again. She grabbed his throat and stared darkly into his face, his hands clamoring to loosen her grip on him. Before he can free himself, she sends him over the edge. He can see her face, a twisted smile decorating it as he falls. Fire swallows him as he crashes into the volcanic lake below.

            He wakes with a startled cry, made even worse by the droid hovering above him. He shoved it away with his hand as he moved to sit up in bed. His body was dripping with sweat and his skin still felt hot to the touch, as if the fiery lake had followed him out of the nightmare.

            Rey awoke at the same time, and just as violently. She vaguely remembered the nightmare, and knew it wasn’t hers. This wasn’t the first time she had intercepted Kylo’s dreams through the force. All she could remember was the lake of lava, how it boiled and brimmed and she helplessly watched Ben fall into it.

She quickly sat up and closed her eyes, reaching out to Ben. She knew he was awake, it had been his dream after all, and there’s no way he slept through that.

            _Ben. Can you hear me?_

There was a delay, long enough for Rey to get worried. Had something gone terribly wrong? Perhaps Hux had done something to him, or-

            _Yes._

            And suddenly he was sitting across from her, on her bed, looking more disheveled than she’d ever seen him. Her eyes shot quickly to his shoulder, which was covered with a Bacta patch. She reached toward him to investigate the wound and he flinched away from her, holding his hand up. She recoiled and parted her lips nervously.

            “What happened to you?” She asked, her voice wavering.

            “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

            “Ben, please tell me-“

            He fell forward into her arms, startling Rey momentarily. She embraced him and lightly stroked his face, the way she always did to ease his pain. His head rested in her lap and they both laid entwined together. Rey wanted to find out what was going on, why he was so distraught, but she sensed that just being here with her, even in silence, was comforting him. She felt a wetness on her legs and saw that he was crying. He wasn’t like her in this way. When she cried, it was loud and unmistakable. He had only cried once before, at Leia’s funeral, and this time it was the same. He was nearly silent as he wept, which made Rey’s heart break for him even more. She pulled him in closer to her, and he pressed his face into her, releasing his sorrow. She felt tears coming too, but held them back calmly. She didn’t want to make this about her, she just wanted to soothe him as best she could. When his tears finally stopped, he sat up, taking her hands in his.

            He told her everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey helps Ben find a way to control his nightmares and visions. The answers are found in a place he never thought he'd look.

He let out a long sigh and his shoulders slumped, the weight of the world seeming to fall away from him. He told Rey about what he saw, about Vader and the nightmare. She held his hands in hers as he divulged it all to her, maintaining eye contact as he spoke. Rey listened intently and didn’t interrupt him for the entirety of his recollection. The tears had stopped long before, but his voice still shook with unease. Rey squeezed his hands gently as his voice rose and fell, the concern evident on her face.

            For a while they just sat there, in the bunks aboard the Millennium Falcon, their hands entwined, Kylo looking down at the bed and Rey gazing wistfully toward him. Her mind was whirling with intensity and she couldn’t keep her thoughts straight. She was struck by one thing, the fact that they had each seen a slightly different version of the nightmare. Kylo had seen Rey approaching him and ready to strike, eventually causing him to fall into the scalding lake below. What Rey had seen was very different. She recalled her version of the dream as he explained his. They always fed off each other’s energy, whether they were in battle or worlds apart. It seemed that his recollection of the events had reawakened hers.

            The tower, the lake of fire, everything was the same. Except she saw Kylo standing on the edge, facing away from her. As she called out to him, willing him to step down safely, he turned to meet her gaze. His eyes looked grave, devoid of any humanity. He wasn’t himself, and even in the nightmare she could sense it. She remembered silently screaming to him, begging him not to do it. He turned away from her and leapt into the air, descending toward the churning volcanic basin. She screamed and ran to the ledge, only to barely glimpse his body as it faded away and melted into the glowing pool.

            This was incredibly disconcerting, and combined with the fact that he had seen _Darth Vader,_ this was shaping up to be a very dreadful situation. She shuddered at the thought, confusion and anxiety making waves through her body. What could this mean? What was she to do about his visions? She knew that Ben was her destiny, that the force had connected them so that they may bring balance to the galaxy. What she didn’t know was how to proceed from here.

            Kylo finally looked up to meet her gaze, a look of expectancy slowly spreading across his face.

            “I know this isn’t easy to hear, any of it. But please, say something. Anything.” He pleaded.

            Rey moved one of her hands to her chin and caressed it, deep in thought.

            “I’m thinking.” She stated simply, one hand still lovingly stroking his.

            He relaxed a little, but still stared at her as she poured through imaginary files in her head, searching for something so specific that he couldn’t begin to imagine what it was. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she rose from the bed quickly, running across the room to a small cabinet in the corner of the bunkhouse. She opened the drawer aggressively and yanked out a thick book, one that Kylo recognized as she came back to the bed and sat down. The Jedi Texts.

She opened the aging book and began pouring through the pages, her fingers tracing lines swiftly.

            “Rey, what’re you doing?” He said, a bit of annoyance in his voice.

            He couldn’t imagine any solution to this problem would be found in this ancient and obsolete collection of teachings. The thought of relying on the Jedi, either physically or philosophically, filled him with profound disgust. She could feel his revulsion and momentarily averted her eyes from the book.

            “I’m trying to help you, like I always do. Just trust me.” She snapped, impatience obvious in her tone.

            He said nothing as she continued to turn the pages, frantically searching for whatever solution she had in mind.

            “Here!” Her finger landed on a page, and she turned the book around to face him. The page contained scribbles in an ancient language, one which Kylo couldn’t translate. An accompanying illustration provided the information he needed. It showed a Jedi Knight, clad in traditional robes, with their hands raised in front of them. Faintly in front of their hands, there stood a thin film, a barrier of some type.

            They looked at each other and exchanged thoughts quickly, and Kylo began to understand what she wanted to do. She wished to form a barrier in his mind, one which could keep anything out, including _Vader._ If they focused on each other’s power and worked together, they could construct this in his mind, and bury it deep down, somewhere devoid of light. In this chasm, perhaps the specter of _Vader_ could be kept indefinitely, caged like a rabid animal, tucked safely away from his conscious mind.

            Kylo’s stubbornness attempted to rear its ugly head once more, he wanted so badly to refuse this method. This implied that in some way he _needed_ the Jedi and their teachings. Needing anything in this way made him feel fragile, like the little boy that still lived somewhere in his mind. A child who had power he and his parents couldn’t understand, a child that felt so miserable, alone, and misunderstood.

            But the sleepless nights and uncertainty of his days were catching up to him. Even the leadership aboard his Star Destroyer had begun to doubt his ability to command the First Order. They were all too afraid to say such things directly to him, but at night he could hear the whispers creeping down the halls and into his head. Of course, General Hux made minimal effort to disguise his hatred for the new Supreme Leader, and it was beginning to rub off on the troops. In a way, that specter was right, his grip on everything _was_ slipping.

            “Fine. We’ll try your way.”

            Rey smiled.

            “Well come on, then!” Rey gestured for him to get closer. As he did, she made a spinning motion with finger and he turned around, his bare back facing her.

            “Now lay your head down.” She insisted. She crossed her legs and opened her arms to him.

            Cautiously, he lowered himself back onto her, his head resting on her lap between her legs. She moved her hands to the sides of his head and gripped him firmly, her face coming into view above his. She closed her eyes and he felt her probing into his mind, accessing the memories of the nightmare and of _Vader._ His mind tensed up at first, this feeling was very alien to him. They had slipped in and out of each other’s minds before, but this time he was willing, and the feeling was….odd. It’s as if he could feel her imaginary hands sifting through his thoughts, stacking and reorganizing them like files on a console. She sensed his unease and opened her eyes briefly, giving him a reassuring look and sending her thoughts into him.

            _Relax. This will only be unpleasant for you if you fight it. Just close your eyes and focus on me._

She then began to radiate positive energy into him. Warmth, light, and love shined brilliantly into his mind’s eye, soothing his discomfort and allowing him to finally relent to her. She leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead, and he let out a small gasp and looked up to her again. She only smiled and resumed her work, closing her eyes once more. He followed suit and focused entirely on her energy.

            His energy attached itself to hers and rode along as it collected all the memories she needed to block out. He followed it through the canals and channels of his own mind, occasionally getting a glimpse of what she was seeing. This connection was timeless and infinite, Kylo was no longer within his own body, but somehow outside of it, soaring through a sky shimmering with his memories. Once she found what she was looking for, he felt her energy shift, it seemed to strain against something he couldn’t see. He heard a noise escape her, something that happened in the physical world yet echoed in his head, startling him. Still, his eyes didn’t open. He knew he had to focus if this was going to work.

            _Don’t worry._ She soothed. _Just focus on me, I need your help._

Somewhere inside himself, Kylo mustered all the strength he could and focused with her. He could feel something growing between them, as if they were pouring their essence into a mold before them. Soon enough he began to see it, a vast wall forming in front of him. In his mind, it appeared as a giant slab of metal, growing taller with each passing second. His grip with this internal realm was beginning to loosen. He worried that it would slip out of his hands if they couldn’t complete this barrier soon.

            The metal barrier continued to grow in size and strength, until it finally was fully formed. Kylo felt himself materialize inside of his own head, and he was face to face with this structure. It towered over him and stretched to the top of a cavernous wall that apparently lined the inside of his thoughts. As he gazed up to it in awe, he felt a hand grip his, and turned to see Rey standing beside him, her face glowing with a capacious smile. He wrapped his hand around hers and they approached the metal structure together. He pressed his free hand against it and felt the cold metal through his gloves. He looked back at her and felt a sudden pull back to reality.

            He sat up abruptly, his eyes struggling to adjust to the light of the bunkhouse. He swung around to Rey, whose head was beaded with sweat. She sank backward onto the bed and panted loudly, trying as best she could to catch her breath. Kylo moved to lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her, savoring the warmth of her body. She tucked her head against his chest and felt the urge to sleep beginning to overpower her. Before she closed her eyes, she heard him mutter one last thing.

            “Thank you.”

They fell asleep holding each other, and this time sleep was merciful to them. Neither had any nightmares or visions, and actually slept through the night. Of course, when they awoke, they were in their own beds again. This was something they both loathed but accepted. Rey yearned to wake up in his arms, to have his face be the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. But she knew that before this could happen, they had to find a way to end this war. It was the only thing holding them back from their destinies together.

Kylo got dressed and was pleasantly surprised to find that no feelings of hurt, fury, or fear plagued him from the night before. It seemed that the barrier she made in his head was sturdy enough to keep these thoughts out. Whether this would last, whether the wall would hold remained to be seen.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey decides it's time to tell her friends about the bond between herself and Ben. Kylo intends to return to his throne, and Hux hatches a scheme behind his back.

Rey woke to a stream of light coming through the curtains in the bunkhouse, her eyes wincing at the sudden spectacle of the morning sun. This was the first time in months that she had woken peacefully. No nightmares on her or Ben’s end, and no sleepless hours spent thinking herself to death. It was a welcome change, and as she stretched and yawned emphatically, she turned to the side of the bed where he had been, and ran her hand over his imaginary form longingly. She ached for the days she could see in her head, where they’d wake up together, perhaps greet each other with a loving touch or kiss. What she longed for most was to see him smile, a genuine and full smile. She’d seen it sneak through his rough demeanor on a few occasions through their bond, but he never quite let go of himself enough to let it bloom.

            She sighed and threw the covers off herself, suddenly realizing she had slept in way too late. Surely her friends were discussing strategy in the briefing room without her. She assumed they had all decided to let her sleep in, as her stress had started to come through in her tone with the others. She pulled her clothes on quickly and walked intently through the door, which opened at the touch of her palm. She made her way through the rocky halls of the underground structure, stopping only to give a quick hello to whomever she passed. The Resistance had grown in their numbers since the attack on their former base, but they still were facing insurmountable odds against the First Order.

            “Good morning, Rey.” A Rebel soldier said enthusiastically.

            “Morning.” She smiled and nodded. “Are the others in the briefing room?” She asked the soldier.

            “Yes, Ma’am. They’re expecting you.”

            Rey continued through the hallways, which were lined with cables and small light fixtures, reminiscent of the days of the rebellion. She finally made it to the large door to the briefing room, one which was guarded by two soldiers wielding staffs which bore an uncanny resemblance to Rey’s own weapon back on Jakku. As she hurried to the door, the soldiers tensed and intended to block her way, but one of them nudged the other and they both hurriedly stepped aside.

            “My apologies, Rey.” Said the one of the left, the soldier on the right nodding his head in agreement.

            “That’s quite alright, I understand. You’re just being vigilant.” She replied.

            Before entering, she exhaled deeply and adjusted her hair on either side of her head, not wanting to look as anxious as she felt. She knew that now was the time to tell them. About the bond, about the events on the Supremacy, about everything. Her friends did care for her deeply, but she didn’t expect a warm reception when she told them that she-

            Before she can finish her thought, the door slides open, and Finn is on the other side, smiling at Rey.

            “Well _there_ she is.” He joked. “Well rested, are we?”

            “Yes, thanks. You all didn’t have to let me sleep that long!”

            “ _Nonsense!”_ Called a voice from behind Finn, one Rey recognized as Poe instantly.

            “You haven’t slept a full night in weeks! I know, because you’re always up and pacing.”

            Rey touched Finn’s arm, a friends’ reassuring squeeze, and entered the room. In the center of the room, there stood a large round table, the center of which was cut out to reveal a holographic projector. Makeshift lights decorated the ceilings, which were much taller in this room than the adjoining hallways. Seated opposite the side Rey entered were Poe, Rose, and an empty seat where she supposed Finn had been sitting before he ran to the door. BB-8 rolled up to her, buzzing and whirring as usual. She could barely make out his excited beeps, but leaned down to pat his round head anyway. He beeped contently and rolled around the table to sit next to Poe.

            Rey approached her spot at the table but didn’t sit. She stood behind the chair, her hands leaning on it nervously. The thought of their reactions was eating her alive, moving through the most sensitive parts of her soul and leaving teeth marks behind. She knew that if she didn’t do this, there would be no way to end this war. The only solution she saw was to bring Ben home, and she needed the others to see it that way.

            “Rey?” Rose said her name and broke her out of her stupor. “Is everything okay?”

            Rey sighed and decided it was time.

            “No, I have some things I need to tell you all.”

            The room grew silent and all their eyes drifted to her, awaiting what she was about to say. Concern worked its way across their faces, but still they said nothing. Rey had a hard time knowing where to begin, so she just spat it out.

            “We need to save Ben Solo.”

            “Ben Solo?” Poe said, inquisitively.

            “I think you mean, _Kylo Ren._ ” Finn said this with a hint of malice, making Rey wince.

            “No. I mean Ben Solo. He is not Kylo Ren anymore. But he can help us end this war.”

            “You say this like you’ve talked to him. How would you know?” Finn approached her, his eyes now level with hers.

            She looked away and said nothing, hesitant to continue. But something urged her forward, something loud inside her that wouldn’t cease its endless drone. Her eyes returned to his and she continued, her gaze making its way from Finn to the rest of the table.

            “Ben and I have…a connection. It started a long time ago, when he first took me on Takodana. It became more powerful when I left to find Luke. I could see him. I could hear him. I could… _feel_ him. Even though he was light years away, it was as if we were in the same room.”

            “And?! So, what?” Finn exclaimed, his hands moving to his hips. “He killed Han Solo! He almost killed me! He almost killed _you!_ And he tortured Poe!” He gestured toward Poe, who replied.

            “It’s true, Rey. The man is kind of a monster.” Poe shrugged, but he didn’t seem as animated in his anger as Finn currently was. Rose watched this unfold in silence, shooting a narrow glance at Finn as he raised his voice. Upon seeing her, he calmed down substantially and lowered his tone of voice, sighing.

            “He killed Snoke.” Rey said sternly.

            Shock spread across their faces as she confessed this, their jaws ajar with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

            “No. No, _you_ told us that _you_ killed him.” Poe replied.

            This was true. After the events on the Supremacy, before their force bond had reconnected, Rey had told everyone she killed Snoke but failed to find Kylo Ren aboard the ship. This was, of course, very far from the truth.

            “I lied.” She said softly.

            “But why?!” Finn asked, desperation in his voice.

            “Because I didn’t think you’d all understand. I couldn’t convince him to come with me, and there was a struggle. But we’ve continued…talking through our connection.”

            “ _Continued?_ You mean to tell me, you’ve been conversing with the enemy this whole time?” Poe said, standing up, his fist slamming into the table. “No wonder they found us, he probably knows our location now!”

            “HE DOESN’T KNOW WHERE WE ARE!” Rey’s volume surprised them all, and Poe sat back down, resigned to hear the rest of what she was going to say.

            “Don’t you all remember the suspicious lack of First Order presence on Naboo? On the day of her funeral? That was his doing. Ben Solo made sure his mother could have a proper burial.”

            “ _Kylo Ren_ is the one who killed her in the first place.” Finn said sharply.

            “Wrong! The attack was carried out without his knowledge. The leadership of the First Order is in flux, and he’s barely maintaining control. General Hux undermined his authority and sent a squadron after us.”

            “You talk about him as if you _admire_ him.” Finn said as he turned away from her. He began pacing the room as she continued.

            “The _point_ , Finn, is that _he didn’t do it_. There’s still light in him. Conflict. I can feel it. We almost made it work. But I messed it up. We both did.”

            Silence overtook the room once more, the low hum of consoles hung in the air. Rey knew that it would be difficult to get them on her side about this, but if she couldn’t turn to them, then who could she turn to? The Resistance is all she had, aside from Ben. She knew that together they could do almost anything, but even their combined power couldn’t stop this war. They’d need the help of her friends. Rey finally broke the silence.

            “He is Leia’s son. She would want you to help him.”

            Finn spun around and approached Rey again, his eyes glazed over with distrust.

            “Maybe he is. But why do _you_ want to help him so badly?”

            They all awaited Rey’s response. She choked back tears and struggled to get the words from her brain to her mouth, the distance between them seemed to be infinite. She did all she could to close the gap, to tell them all what she felt deep within herself, but the words dissolved in her throat. Before she can manage any coherent response, Rose stands up. All attention turns to her, as she has said nothing throughout this exchange.

            “I know why she wants to save him.” Rose approached Rey and Finn, her hand entwining with Finn’s as she spoke. “She loves him.”

            Finn laughed, exasperated. “You, you can’t be serious! She doesn’t _love_ him!” His eyes moved from Rose to Rey, whose cheeks were now bright red. A tear rolled down her cheek as she returned his gaze. As her eyes lowered to the floor, Finn realized Rose was right. Somehow, Rey, who was kidnapped and intimidated by _Kylo Ren_ , had fallen in love with him.

            “We were both alone. On opposing sides of a war, we didn’t start. A war we didn’t want to fight. To you, he may still be Kylo Ren. But to me….” She trailed off, her hands reaching up to wipe away the tears. “He’s Ben. He was kind to me, gentle. And in him, I saw the eyes of a human being, _not_ a monster.”

            After regaining control of her emotions, Rey sighed and looked around the room, her eyes meeting theirs individually. “I don’t expect you to understand him like I do. I don’t expect you to understand what we have. But I want you to ask yourself what Leia would want. And if you won’t do it for me, consider doing it for her.”

            Poe considered her words carefully. While he was not fond of the man who had kidnapped him, murdered countless others, and tortured information out of him, he saw the strategic value of having a direct line of communication with the enemy, from _within_ their ranks. This could change the tide, potentially bringing an end to a conflict that had lasted decades,

            “If the First Order is in as much disarray as you say,” Poe said. “I think we need to try. It could be our best shot.”

            “Unbelievable, you too?!” Finn protested, his gaze piercing Poe from across the table.

            Poe said nothing, and Finn stormed out of the room, heading to his quarters.

            “I’m sorry, I’ll set him straight.” Rose assured her. She moved in to embrace Rey, who hugged her back with fervor. Rey broke away from her slightly and inquired. “Why are you so quick to side with me on this?”

            Rose just smiled, and squeezed Rey’s hand. “I can’t stand in the way of what you love. No one should.”

            “ _Thank you.”_ Rey nearly whispered, her eyes gleaming with tears again. Rose nodded and turned to go after Finn, the door sliding shut behind her. “And thank you, Poe. I’m sorry for what happened. For what he did to you.”

            Poe shrugged, and stood up from the table. “He can tell me himself. Assuming we can come up with a plan that actually works.”

            The Supremacy had been repaired in the weeks following the light-speed attack, much to the surprise of the new Supreme Leader. After being holed up in a separate star destroyer for several weeks, Kylo Ren decided it was time to revisit the throne room. Snoke’s throne, no, _his throne,_ he reminded himself, was undoubtedly cleared of the wreckage he and Rey had brought upon it by now. He was eager to enter the chamber without the foreboding presence of his former master. His thoughts raced as he made his way briskly through the halls of the Destroyer, pushing past Storm Troopers and through seemingly endless doorways until he reached the bridge.

            The door was coded with a numeric lock, as well as his biological signature. He removed his glove and pressed his hand to the console, and as the door slid open, he was greeted with a familiar and unpleasant countenance, that of General Hux. Kylo stopped dead and stood up straight, intent on showing no weakness in front of this weasel, not even in his posture.

            “ _Supreme Leader.”_ Hux snarled.

            “General Hux.”

            Kylo’s eyes fell upon the bridge of his nose, which was swollen and bandaged, undoubtedly from one of the many times he’d tossed Hux aside like a ragdoll.

            “How’s the nose?” Kylo asked, clearly amused.

            Hux ignored the question, a look of pure venom spreading across his face as he continued.

            “You have been made aware of our attack on the Resistance forces?” He asked.

            “Yes, of course.” Kylo retorted.

            The two men had made their way onto the bridge and were now circling each other, much like vultures hovering over an invisible carcass. Officers stood at each corner of the room, their eyes following them as they walked. Kylo could feel their eyes on him, but wasn’t fazed. His eyes remained locked with Hux as their slow shuffle continued.

            “You managed to take out General Organa, the mother of the resistance herself. You must be very proud.” Kylo’s mind seemed to scream at him for uttering these words, but he would be damned if he let Hux believe he was weak. This response elicited a sour look from the General, his brows upturned in confusion.

            “ _Oh.”_ Is all he managed in response.

            “I was told that tracked them to an uninhabited moon on the outer rim. You gathered this intel from _where,_ exactly?”

            “A former ally of the Resistance offered us the intel, for a price.” Hux replied.

            Their circling finally ceased as Kylo quickly changed the subject, turning to the Officer nearest him.

            “I trust my ship has been prepared?”

            “Yes sir. The shuttle is ready for departure.”

            “Excellent.”

            Kylo turned swiftly and exited the room, leaving Hux to fester in his rage and confusion. He had hunted down and killed his mother, and yet Ren was showing no signs of grief or hostility because of it. He had gone as far as _praising_ him for a job well done. Hux marched toward the Officer and looked him up and down sternly.

            “Where is he going?” He snapped.

            “I believe he is returning to the Supremacy, General.”

            “Of course.”

            Hux turned and began the trek back to his chambers, shooing away several Officers before they could bother him with their nonsense. Undoubtedly, Ren was returning to reclaim what he believed to be his throne. Hux imagined him perched atop that glorious pedestal, a look of grim satisfaction on his face. His fists clenched at the thought of Ren being in such a position, someone so _undeserving_ of the throne. He swore under his breath and pushed the thought from his mind, reminding himself not to be distracted by such things. If his plan was to come to fruition, he had work to do.

            “Enjoy your seat while you have it, _Ren.”_ Hux huffed to himself as he entered his chambers.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren struggles to suppress his fear and anger, and in doing so, he unleashes the evil caged inside him. Rey is the only one who can help him.

Kylo Ren strode sternly down the ramp of his personal shuttle, two royal guards following closely behind him, their staffs at the ready. The return to the Supremacy hadn’t taken long, the ship itself was only a few systems away. Mere minutes of lightspeed travel were nothing compared to the vast distances he’s traveled in the past. Short as it was, the trip had awakened a curiously familiar feeling in Kylo’s gut, a creeping anxiety that spread from his core and into his bones. He struggled to pinpoint the origin of this sensation, barely hiding a shiver that threatened to shake his body as they continued toward the elevator. They reached the door as it hissed open, and he turned to face his guards.

            “Stay behind. Join me in the throne room in an hour.”

            “Sir?” One of the guards inquired.

            “ _One. Hour.”_

            They nodded and stayed behind, turning around to guard the elevator entrance as the door slid shut. Kylo reached for the console and hit the top button with his fist, the elevator whirred to life instantly.

            As he ascended the many floors of the Supremacy, his gaze drifted to his side, the space where Rey stood so recently. His fingers fidgeted, fists clenching and unclenching with unease. The thought of that day, even now, it set every part of him on edge. The anticipation, the look in her eyes, the way she had gotten closer and closer to him, the unfathomable _weakness_ he had felt at her words.

            _I’ll help you._

            His clenched fists began to shake.

            _I saw it._

            In that moment, he swears he could have fallen into her eyes. Those glorious, shimmering pools that seemed to understand him, seemed to say everything his family never could. His heart began to thud, a cacophonous and blaring sound resonating in his ears. Tremors shook his body and light flashed in and out of the elevator as it ascended, painting his living nightmare in a constantly shifting glow. A glass panel inside the capsule suddenly splintered, raining tiny shards down toward his feet. His heart still sounded prominently in his head, seeming to take root in his skull, sending powerful thrums through the back of his eyes. His breathing quickened and sweat sprouted from his brow. Before he could reach to wipe it away, the elevator door slid open, mercifully ending his feverish hell.

            After taking a moment to compose himself, he exited the elevator and strode into the massive throne room. His footfalls echoed around him and he stopped dead in the center of the room, eyeing every corner carefully. Black curtains had replaced the blood red ones that Snoke had insisted on, and the room held a certain haunting beauty now, a dark solitude for him to hide away in. The throne itself stood the same as the day they- _she-_ ­ left it, minus Snoke’s body, which had been taken care of long ago. He slowly approached the throne and ran one hand along it’s arm rest, marveling at how cold it was even through his gloved hand. As he touched the throne, his thoughts drifted back to every hour he’d spent here, on his knees, enduring endless abuse and torture at the hands of the _Supreme Leader._ He had thought his only home was here, in the darkness, his only purpose to do the bidding of the man who held his leash. The only destiny he could see for himself resided in the shadow of Darth Vader, the epitome of evil, everything he thought he wanted to be. All he achieved was a place as Snoke’s dog, beaten into submission and so well trained.

            Somewhere, deep in his mind, behind the wall that he and Rey had built, he could swear he heard… _something._ A horrid, muffled sound, as if something was pounding at the wall furiously. Kylo’s eyes widened as he felt it, the realization that this barrier wouldn’t hold up forever. His anger, his fear, it could be the catalyst to it’s destruction. He felt this, and yet, he couldn’t hold it back any longer.

            He reached for his lightsaber and ignited it furiously, roaring as he struck the throne repeatedly, gouging his anger into it as Snoke had done to him so many times before. A storm of flashing light and sparks flew back toward him as his outburst continued. The heat singed at his face and still he didn’t yield, the years of giving himself away and getting nothing in return seeming to erupt from him all at once. He thought of his father again, dead by his own hand. He thought of his mother, dead and gone. He thought of Rey…and how much he needed her, how weak it made him feel. He drove the blade of his saber through the back of the chair multiple times, as if Snoke still lingered there for him to punish. Finally, he withdrew the blade and deactivated it, still clutching the hilt in his fist. His chest rose and fell violently as he looked at the once regal seat, now etched with the smoldering wounds of his past. As the simmering gouges cooled, he turned to sit upon the throne, taking his rightful place as the new Supreme Leader. It was his now. It was scarred and broken, just as he was. This throne, this ship, this army, it was all his. And soon, he would bring peace to the galaxy.

            “ _No.”_

            He shook his head violently. These thoughts were not his own. They were quiet, hidden beneath a thick layer of metal. Yet they crept into him so easily, an unwelcome intruder. They came from within him. From behind the barrier. Suddenly, the image of it appeared to him, clear and solid as the room around him. The metal barrier still stretched from the floor to the ceiling, but as his eyes gazed upon it, an orange glow began to appear at it’s center.

            _NO!_

He screamed silently, but nothing he could do would stop it now. He struggled against it, working with everything he had to drive him away. The glow began to smolder, and a molten chunk of metal fell away from it. The red tip of a lightsaber protruded menacingly through the opening, twisting and sending sparks in all directions. The top of the cavern in his head began to shake and pieces rained down everywhere. Though he knew all of this wasn’t physically real, he could feel it all around him. The crushing weight of his failure came down on him again, and the last thing he managed as his own self, was a soft plea into the darkness.

            _Rey…_

            Rey was in the middle of repairing the Falcon when it happened, a soft voice reverberating through the force, through _her._ It was her name, uttered in such a desperate tone that it terrified her. She gasped and dropped her wrench, which landed unceremoniously on her foot. She swore under her breath but quickly returned to the voice. It continued to echo within her, as if being amplified into her every few seconds. It was Ben. He was in great distress. His voice had sounded so unlike him, so boyish and afraid. She moved to sit down where she was and concentrated, homing in on the now diminishing sounds of his voice.

            Her consciousness tunneled through endless space, wrapping around itself and surging through the cosmos, following the dying sound.

            _Please._ She begged the void. _Please let me find him._

            A small pinprick of light formed in the distance, and she followed it, calling it toward her with all her strength. It began to expand and envelop her mind’s eye, and as it flared its brightest, the world swam into view around her. She saw him on his knees, trembling on the floor of the throne room. Sweat covered his face, matting his hair to his forehead. His eyes were open, but he wasn’t all there. She saw the throne itself, clearly scarred by his lightsaber. She turned, and her heart sank as she approached him, lifting one hand to his cheek. His eyes remained fixed ahead, on something she couldn’t see.

            “Ben?”

            His eyes didn’t move. He made low noises as he struggled on the floor, seeming to whimper as something tormented him, something just out of her reach. She gripped his face and closed her eyes, reaching into his mind to see what horrors writhed within.

            She appeared in the cavernous space inside his head, mere feet away from him. He was cowering on the ground in here too, mirroring his position on the outside. His eyes darted to her and he tried to reach out.

            _Rey!_

_Ben!_

Rey reached toward him and tried to run to him, but something held her back. She felt the force working against her, emanating from the barrier she helped create. She barely turned her head in time to see it- _him-_ emerge from a dark, smoldering hole in the wall. Vader trudged through the opening and approached her, his mask now inches away from her face. He raised a hand and swiped it to the side, as if swatting an insect away. Rey felt herself being ripped out of Kylo’s head, the world swirling around her. She could hear him scream as she was pulled out of him, out of the throne room, and back into the hangar of the resistance base, all in an instant.

            She fell backwards and landed on her back, pain shooting up through her as her spine connected to the concrete. She winced and laid on the ground, unable to regain control of herself. Being pulled so swiftly out of his mind, out of his ship, and back into her own body was nauseating. Her head still spun with the severity of it all, and she couldn’t begin to collect her thoughts. She felt hot bile rise in her throat and she turned to the side, violently vomiting what little food she’d had that day. She coughed and sputtered, barely registering the voices around her.

            Her commotion had drawn the attention of Finn, who was working on the top half of the Falcon. He jumped down clumsily and ran to her side, resting his hands on her arm, a frightened expression on his face.

            “Rey! What’s wrong? What happened?”

            “I…I don’t…” She wretched and turned again to her side, vomiting once more. Her head still felt like it was spinning out of control. She struggled to ground herself and braced against Finn, tears now streaming down her face. Finn said nothing but held her against him as her fit of sickness turned to sobs, her whole body consumed with tremors. More resistance fighters had gathered around to see what was happening, but all were silent. They sat like this for several minutes, Rey still shaking and unable to talk. After a while, the spinning finally subsided, and she was able to formulate thoughts without becoming ill. Finn gestured for the others to get back to their business, and they did, reluctantly.

            “Rey. Talk to me. Was it him? Was it Kylo Ren?”

            She simply nodded and broke away from him slightly, adjusting herself so she was sitting up against the Falcon.

            “What was it? What did he do to you?”

            “He didn’t do anything.” Rey replied. “Something is happening to him. He needs help.”

            “Why did you get sick? I don’t-“

            “I’ll explain everything. But we need to hurry. Get the others. We need to get aboard the Supremacy before it’s too late.”

            Finn looked apprehensive but nodded and helped Rey to her feet. Together they ran to gather the others in the briefing room. There was a lot to be discussed, but she wouldn’t do it all here. She didn’t expect them all to blindly follow her, but she’d take whatever help she could get.


End file.
